October 1984, Part 2

Today has been really eventful. I caught a 264 into town. I was really naughty, using my tenpence Clippercard. There were lots of posters on the bus about fare dodging, and I began getting a really guilty conscience. As luck would have it, an Inspector got on at Stretford Arndale. My heart beat faster and faster, and he approached me. He looked at my Clippercard and asked me where I was going. I said Loreto Manchester, thinking quickly. He asked me where my Pass was, and I turned very polite, deferential and apologetic, saying that I had left it at home. He left me, then came back later, gave me a lecture, and asked me to pay the difference.

I alighted from the train at Huddersfield and caught a bus to New Mill. It was a pleasant journey, through the picturesque Pennine Scenery. I was met there by Ann Taylor. She had been out visiting some miners, and realising that a bus was due, she waited for me. She’s very nice, very friendly, and exceedingly hospitable. After formalities, I got down to the business of interviewing.

She was very talkative and very interesting, but then I dried up, so she suggested we had a coffee. The coffee turned into lunch, over which we had quite a chat. I was asking about various things about the House and various MPs. She gets on well with both Neil and Roy – indeed, Roy Hattersley is her son’s godfather. She says the image of Neil portrayed by the media is a very real one- he is like that. He is very talkative to an extreme – won’t use one word where one hundred and sixty will do, and has been known to take quarter of an hour to ask a question – let alone answering it. Roy Hattersley isn’t as intellectual as he thinks he is.After lunch I interviewed her again. She then drove me into Huddersfield where I caught the train.

I watched the news. NACODS have voted to start striking on Thursday, which means that all the working pits will have to shut. It shows how bad things are – NACODS are anti-militant and upwardly mobile.

After History, I was talking with Mrs Mc. Mrs P had showed her my Question Time Essay. She wants me to do Politics at University. I was saying that if I did go to University I would do Politics but I don’t have any ambition to go to Uni. I’m not sure I like being discussed in this way.

In the evening I walked round to Una and Ray’s to wait for Gordon to arrive. We drove to Timperley Labour club for the branch meeting. It was interesting just seeing how the nitty gritty fundamentals of business works. It was nice meeting people. It was interesting seeing the general attitudes pro or con the miners.

Assembly was Lower Sixth. We did it on evil. Petra interviewed me – I was the devil. It went down really well – causing some laughter – and I felt the effect all round school today, with teachers congratulating us, and pupils making sarky comments – not that I mind, it shows they noticed, and it meant that I was a minor celebrity round school for the day.

Yeah, thanks for asking – I’m fine and groovy. When EVENTUALLY got up from my lovely warm bed into this cold, cruel, wet world, I had breakfast and dressed.

After lunch I went in the car with Math to Old Trafford. We were delayed going under that bit of building where they’re building, because the team coach was there (the United team coach – god knows why they came by coach). I only saw the back views of Arthur Albiston and Alan Brazil.

There was no sign of Jane by half past, so I went to get a programme for her. After I got back, I noticed that my friends from Longsight were there, so we went to join them, which was a good decision because Ashouk, Paul and Colin are a good laugh.

(Lots of narrative about the match, United beat Spurs 1-0).
After the match we caught the bus. Karen L was on. She was a bit flummoxed by the post-football crowd, but I looked after her. She had been in to town.

Papa drove Mother and me into town to the Free Trade Hall. We climbed to the top and down again, and took our seats. Magda’s parents arrived soon after us. The concert was fantastic, the conductor brought the best out of the Halle (the conductor was Jacek Kaspryk). The orchestra were rearranged, with the two bases behind the wind in front of the percussion. The trumpets were next to the flutes, and the French horns behind the cellos. It was a good effect!

After the tres boring National Anthem was Fingals Cave (Mendelssohn). This was fabulous. I really loved it. Magic, great. Ee, I can’t describe that evocation of tranquillity. The second piece was Rachmaninov’s Variation on a Theme of Paganini. This too was very good – excellent balance.

After the interval was Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique which is just out of this world. The music is just so descriptive and during the third movement, which is a day in the fields thinking of one’s lover, I let my mind wonder in time to music, I ended up thinking about Martin B. It gave me quite a surprise to realise that I was supposed to be thinking about that. The fourth movement was March to the Scaffold, which is superbrill.

At lunch I went to choir. We practised a suffragette March, and when most people had gone, Mrs Bt got a few people – Gabriel, Esther, Magda amongst others – to sing while I did a rhythm on the side drum.

After Italian, we actually recorded the Women’s March, assisted by Mrs Mc and Mr R.

Another day gone by, with very little achieved. No that’s a pile of bullshit, Gert, and you know it – you’re just wanting halfterm to hurry up and come.

I went to Alty to catch a train to Piccadilly. Petra and I walked to the UMIST Renold building. We met up with Jane Mt, who’s in Sixth Form at St B’s, because her father teaches there.

At two thirty a lecture on Chartered Accountancy began. It was a real insight into the workings of Chartered Accountants. We started with a film and then a second year student gave her perception of the work. A fella who has been qualified for two years gave us an amusing talk on Accountancy in general.
My general impression was that the work itself is wonderfully fascinating, absolutely intriguing, but it’s the thought of three years study POSTGRADUATE that rather puts me off.

I had a giggle on Oxford Road seeing a school party pushing around and fussing. I then realised to my horror that it was Loreto Second Years. They got on - some in my carriage and Mrs M and Miss D passed me and asked me what I had been doing.